Maths Anxiety: Building a positive and supportive classroom.

So, here it is - my first blog post! For those who haven't met me yet, my name is Whitney, and I'm an enthusiastic IB Maths teacher. I'm passionate about dissecting data, researching teaching and learning, and developing curriculum. As an educator, you may have noticed an increase in maths anxiety among your students since they returned from online learning. However, maths anxiety has been a longstanding issue that has often been labelled as laziness, lack of revision, or even a learning barrier. Fortunately, there is now more awareness and discussion around this issue. In this post, I will share five elements that can help you create a positive and supportive learning environment for your students.

Student Maths Fact Poster

Building positive relationships with your students is crucial. One of my go-to tools is creating a maths poster with key facts about myself, such as "(3-2) x 1 is the number of siblings I have" or "the number of cats I have is the same as 10% of 20". This not only gives me insight into their maths skills from previous years, but it also helps me connect with them on a personal level.

Teacher Responses for Incorrect Answers

When students provide incorrect answers in class, avoid using negative phrases such as "no" or "that's wrong." Instead, use positive feedback to promote confidence and build relationships. For example, you could say, "I see what you're thinking, can anyone add to this?" or "I like the keyword you used, can anyone give me another way using the same word?" If a student freezes, you could ask them if they want to tag another person nearby to give a team answer. Then, you can provide further support to the original student.

Praise the Things They Can Do Well

At the start of class, set a positive tone by praising the things students can do well. For example, "Thank you, Student X, for coming in focused and starting the task," "Great presentation, Student Y, in your book today," or "The table in the corner looks so focused today, they will be finished in no time." By doing so, you create an environment where students feel appreciated and motivated to learn.

Vary the Style of Assessment

Adapt your assessment styles to give students a taste of showcasing their skills. Even if you are in a more linear curriculum with a focus on testing, you can still vary your assessments within the curriculum. Projects and investigations are excellent ways to get students interested and engaged in learning. They can also be completed as a group or class discussion. You can even combine them with other subjects or use mini-project style homework tasks. In my next blog post, I will talk more about authentic assessments, or you can check out my LinkedIn for the activities I share.

Provide Additional Styles of Resources to Adapt Class Tasks

When it comes to students with maths anxiety, providing differentiated resources is crucial. However, it's important to avoid assuming that adapting a task to be easier will always be the best approach. Some students may find traditional maths activities, such as worksheets or tests, overwhelming and intimidating, regardless of the level of difficulty. Instead of immediately making a task easier, consider adapting the way it's completed to help students manage their anxiety. For example, you could try using alternative resources like bingo games or online tools such as transum.org or desmos.com to provide students with different ways of practicing the same skills. By exploring different approaches, you can help students build confidence and feel more comfortable with maths. While there may still be times when adjusting the difficulty level of a task is necessary, experimenting with different styles of resources can be a useful starting point.

I hope you find these elements useful in creating a positive and supportive learning environment for your students. Let's work together to overcome maths anxiety and empower our students to achieve their full potential.

Whitney Edmondson 25th April 2023

MsWhitneyMaths.com